Lyssa Reese . Author Bios . (70-275 words)

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Lyssa came to Hawaii 30 years ago and never left. Once she’d launched her children into the world, she returned to writing. Lyssa is published in two anthologies: We See You, We Hear You, and A Beacon Amidst Shadows (Three Raven’s Publishing, 2024).

She is the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Maggie Award for Excellence. Lyssa weaves words to inspire women to embrace their dreams. You can reach her at LyssaReese.com.

Thirty years ago, Lyssa moved from New York City to Hawaii with her new husband. She worked from home to raise two children—who continue to delight and astonish her—and wondered what came next. Since it’s never too late to be what you might have been, she returned to writing and discovered within herself an endless reserve of stories. 

Lyssa is published in the anthology We See You, We Hear You, and in A Beacon Amidst Shadows (Three Raven’s Publishing, 2024). She is the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Maggie Award for Excellence. She’s a member of PNWA, GRW, and WFWA, and co-host of the Facebook Live podcast Virgin Authors, which provides tips for new writers.

Her fiction has won several writing contests and combines a little magic with her concern about the place of women in society. She weaves words to inspire women to embrace their dreams and regain the vibrant spirits they were born to be.

You can reach her at LyssaReese.com and on FaceBook as Lyssa Hanan Reese.

Lyssa grew up in the suburbs of Manhattan, happily roaming the woods and reading books among the branches of an apple tree. She went to the west coast for college, earned a B.A. in Theatre Arts, and moved to New York City. For the next six years, she worked on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center. She met her marvelous husband Steve at a company holiday party.

A month after their wedding, they came to Hawaii for a brief adventure and sprouted roots. Lyssa bought a home-based advertising business, raised a daughter and a son, and after nearly thirty years in the islands, she launched two thoughtful citizens of the world, both of whom continue to astonish and delight her.

Since it’s never too late to be what you might have been, she returned to writing and discovered within herself an endless reserve of stories. Her novels reflect her concern about the place of women in society: The Moment Before Waking includes an element of magic, while Five Sisters and a Wedding involves family drama and romance.

Lyssa is published in the anthology We See You, We Hear You, and in A Beacon Amidst Shadows (Three Raven’s Publishing, 2024). Her fiction has won several writing contests, including the prestigious 2024 Maggie Award for Excellence. She’s a member of PNWA, GRW, and WFWA, and co-host of the Facebook Live podcast Virgin Authors, which provides tips for new writers. 

Lyssa continues weaving words to inspire women to embrace their dreams and regain the vibrant spirits they were born to be. You can reach her at LyssaReese.com, on FaceBook as Lyssa Hanan Reese, and on Instagram @lyssa_reesewriter,